Robert Scott Osbakken

Robert Scott Osbakken

Camarillo, CA

On the evening of November 8, 2015, our community lost a truly exceptional individual. Robert Scott Osbakken or "Ozzie", he was born on March 11, 1950 in Duluth, Minnesota and grew up in that area. His entrepreneurial spirit could be seen from a very young age, when he charged his friends money for the privilege of seeing his newborn sister, Kathi. Also evident from a young age was Robert's natural intelligence and ability for logical reasoning. It was likely that these skills netted Robert a full-ride scholarship to MIT.

Many years after his first business venture, Robert, or Ozzie as he was now known, owned and operated two successful restaurants in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It was in Jackson where he met and married his wife, Bonnie Welk. Their wedding took place at the Signal Mountain Lodge. Everyone in attendance surely found the occasion quite memorable, not only because of the delicious food and vibrant music, but for the fact that a grizzly bear was discovered roaming outside, thus forcing the newlywed couple and their guests to stay in the reception hall quite a bit longer than expected. While waiting for the bear to be trapped and transported back to Yellowstone Park, Ozzie laughingly told his wife, if the bear crashing their reception was any indication, their marriage was likely to have its ups and downs, but together they could handle it all.

Ozzie and Bonnie later moved to Ojai, California. It was there that they began their own family with the birth of their daughter, Alysha, in 1992. One and a half years later, the family, now settled in Camarillo, welcomed a new member when Ozzie and Bonnie's son, Andrew, was born. Ozzie took great delight in raising his children and being a part of their lives. He took particular enjoyment in coaching his son's youth hockey team. Andrew (who at this point insisted on being called Drew) and his teammates flourished under Ozzie's coaching. Which is no surprise because Ozzie was indeed a natural leader, a trait that helped him achieve professional success, first in executive positions, and then as the COO and co-founder of three sinus pharmacy companies, some of which provided nebulizers and parts that Ozzie had invented and patented himself.

Certainly Ozzie's natural intelligence, mastery of numerous skills, and ability to solve whatever problems life threw his way made him a modern Renaissance man. However, while he truly was a skilled inventor, hard-working entrepreneur, amazing boss, and most importantly, a good friend and loving husband and father, these words alone fail to capture Ozzie's essence. What really made him a special and unforgettable person was how he made those around him feel. Ozzie exuded an aura of trustworthiness and competency, to the point where if he believed in you, there was simply no way you could not believe in yourself. In a tough situation, he was the person that others looked to for guidance. Ozzie possessed such an inner strength and good character, that he inspired those around him not only to do their absolute best, but to also be their absolute best.

Ozzie was a firm believer in the importance of charitable work and giving back to his community. As such his family asks that those who wish to send flowers instead make a donation to the Cancer Research Institute or their local food bank. Ozzie will be dearly missed by his mother, Patricia; his sister, Kathi; his wife, Bonnie; and his children, Alysha and Drew. All those who knew and loved Ozzie are welcome to attend his Celebration Of Life Ceremony at Conejo Mountain Memorial Park, 2052 Howard Rd., Camarillo on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 1:00 PM.

Condolences may be left www.ConejoMountain.com.